Screenland (Feb-Oct 1949)

Cobina Wright's Gossip Of Hollywood Parries Continued from page 29 a maid or a bellboy shows up with your order. It proved fascinating to the movie contingent, although as Barbara Bates, who is Danny Kaye's new leading lady, said to me, "I think this is the hard way to get Kleenex!" ANOTHER fun weekend party which drew crowds of stars like Dorothy Lamour, Betty Hutton, Danny Kaye. Merle Oberon and Burns and Allen down to Palm Springs, took place during the recent earthquake. Palm Springs felt it worse than any other spot in Southern California, but it gave the whole crowd at tlie Tennis Club and the Racquet Club a lot to talk about. George Burns was taking his first drink of the afternoon, when the quake rocked the whole room. Putting down his drink, George looked at his wife and said, "Grade, if that's the kind of Bourbon they're serving, let's get out of here." At George Raft's new Desert Retreat, Raft was mixing cocktails at the same moment. George recovered from the first shock and called to his butler, "Bring the ice, but don't bother with the shaker!" Dorothy Lamour claims that because of the earth's convulsion, she's the only person who ever fell of a horse while it was standing still and Betty Hutton blames her loss at gin rummy that afternoon, on the fact that the cards all moved backward. INCIDENTALLY, Betty and Ted Briskin, her husband, gave one of the most amusing parties in their own Brentwood home the other evening, inviting Danny Kaye and his wife, Sylvia Fine, to be guests of honor. Both Betty and Danny reviewed for their guests, after dinner, the acts they did in London's Palladium. Of course, both of them broke all English records, but not the one for laughs we had in Betty's house. The climax came when Danny did his impersonation of Kay Thompson, the song and dance satirist who has recently taken this country by storm. Danny put on her makeup and went through the whole act, excusing himself only for a moment before the final number. This closing bit was so good that Van Heflin and Walter Pidgeon both exclaimed, "Why that's better than Kay herself!" The laugh came when, a few minutes later, they found out that it was Kay — herself — and that Danny had fixed it for her to go on for him, while the incorrigible Kaye slipped into Betty's dining room and was standing there howling to himself! KAY, of course, is the former dramatic coach at MGM, who has taught so many stars and starlets how to walk and talk properly in front of the camera. An incomparably clever girl, Kay finally thought of doing an act herself with the aid of a quartet of boys, who call themselves the Williams Brothers. So adept has Kay become at watching all the stars there is hardly one she can't imitate and her act has, in less than two years, won top acclaim both here and in the East. Her return to Hollywood was in the nature of a triumph. The Beverly-Wilshire Hotel did a whole new room over for her and her opening party drew every top star in Hollywood. Not since the Circus Benefit, we told you about in Screenland two months ago, have we seen such a galaxy of film celebrities. Only occasionally does Hollywood live up to its reputation as a fabulous starland filled with glitter and glamour, but Kay's return debut was one of those extra-special occasions. Imagine a famous face at every table and you have some idea of what the turnout was like. On my left were the Jack Bennys with Claudette Colbert and her husband, Dr. Pressman, and Van and Evie Johnson. On the other side were Ginger Rogers and Jack Briggs, ichile at an adjoining table were June Allyson and Dick Powell with the Johnny Greens. On the crowded dance floor, Clark Gable and Iris Bynum. whom he's really been rushing, danced by Peter Lawford and Nora Flynn. who, in turn, made dance room for the Randolph Scotts, Arlene Dahl and socially prominent Harry Gushing. Dinah Shore and George Montgomery, the Alan Ladds, newly reconciled Gloria De Haven and Johnny Payne. Anne Baxter and John Hodiak, Merle Oberon and the William Powells — all were on hand to applaud the talented hay. What surprised me most was to see such enthusiasm from a movie colony audience which is reported to be the coldest in the world! OF THE more intimate parties I have attended recently I think the most outstanding was the one which Designer Adrian, and his wife, Janet Gaynor, gave. Adrian designs parties with the same verve he puts into everything from painted canvasses to clothes. He and Janet have a fascinating house high on a mountain ridge overlooking San Fernando Valley. A spectacular view from the drawing room windows reveals acres of rolling pastureland filled with grazing cattle. After cocktails in this picturesque atmosphere, Host Adrian invited his guests to go to the sumptuous buffet to fill their plates. By the time they had returned, they found that, with sesamelike ingenuity, beautifully appointed tables had been spread, even down to the last place card! The other evening Loretta Young and her husband, Tom Lewis, Roz Russell and her husband. Freddie Brisson, Constance Collier and Claudette Colbert were all exclaiming over this amazing transformation. But they were even further surprised, once dessert and coffee were served to discover the tables disappearing with equal magic. I took a minute to admire the unusual piece of LOVELY PRESSES 6IVENTOYW Ladies, here's your chance to take your pick of dozens of gorgeou Spring dresses— without a penny of cost— and earn steady EXTRA MONEY besides. 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